Rental fees of meat retailers in Quezon City public markets are now waived amid the price cap imposed by the national government on meat products despite their rising costs, the local government announced Tuesday night.
This came after Mayor Joy Belmonte made a recommendation to waive the fees of affected vendors, especially those who went on pork holiday to avoid further losses, during her and other national government officials' visit to Commonwealth Market and Mega Q Mart.
“We have decided to waive their rental fees to help them cope with the current crisis,” Belmonte said in a statement as she also enjoined the private markets to do the same.
Further, the mayor also ordered the city's Market Development and Administration Department (MDAD) to coordinate with market vendors for their other needs while they are still awaiting subsidized pork supplies from the Department of Agriculture.
Belmonte still reminded her personnel to step up its inspection of private and public markets in the city to ensure the strict enforcement of President Duterte’s Executive Order No. 124, which imposes a 60-day price ceiling on meat products.
Under the order, the price cap for pork pigue is at P270 per kilo, for pork liempo at P300 per kilo, while for dressed chicken at P160 per kilo.
"We are making sure that meat retailers do not take advantage of our consumers and we will intensify our monitoring and enforcement in order to protect our consumers’ rights," the mayor said, warning that vendors will receive notice of violation if they will not comply.
"Our local price coordinating council...will be working closely with the Department of Agriculture to monitor the price and supply of basic goods and commodities. We will investigate retailers and their suppliers who will sell overpriced products," she added.
Currently, one market in District 1, a total of four markets in Districts 2 and 3, three markets in District 4, nine markets in District 5, and seven markets in District 6 already informed the MDAD that they would not sell pork meats if their respective suppliers would sell them at high prices.
Belmonte was joined by the heads of Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority during her market visit.